Contributed by: KirbyPuckettKirbyPuckett(others by this writer | submit your own)Published on June 9th 2004I'm having the worst case of writers block trying to review this disc and I was so excited about getting to appraise it.
Basically what I'm gnawing at is that Ten Foot Pole is back. Not back like when the came out of a couple years slumber and released the disappointing Bad Mother Trucker. I'm ta.

I'm having the worst case of writers block trying to review this disc and I was so excited about getting to appraise it.

Basically what I'm gnawing at is that Ten Foot Pole is back. Not back like when the came out of a couple years slumber and released the disappointing Bad Mother Trucker. I'm talking about being back like "Hey, this album is almost as good as Insider or Rev. It's probably because that nice guy Ryan Greene was fiddling with the controls again. He's so swell, why have punk bands been neglecting him lately‚?¶*cough* Pulley?

After to trying to write some kind of intro with no success I found myself frustrated and tried writing about the music. I stumbled when attempting to convey just how pissed the band sounds on the opening track "Wake Up (And Smell the Fascism)" as if they were Propagandi or ran out of milk for breakfast in the morning. The guitars blaze as Dennis Jagard barks angrily, raising his boyish voice to new levels of maturity. I didn't like the adolescent direction the band takes on "Kicked Out Of Kindergarten," "She Looks Like," and "Last Call For Russel's Balls", but despite the immaturity I still sing along since these four musicians have the ability to write irresistibly catchy songs. I also failed to express how the story of Rachel Corrie sorrowfully hit me in the song with the same title. From there the album plays out just like a typical Ten Foot Pole disc should, SoCal skate punk crafted impeccably. I figured I'd throw a comment about how TFP continue with this summer's fashion and toss some anti-Bush material around the field (just check out the album's title). Oh yeah, I forgot to mention how you might have agreed with me when I said that "Still Believe" will finish as one of the top punk songs of the year.

I apologize for my lackluster review; I just couldn't find the words. However, don't let my lack of productivity shun you away though; in a year when melodic punk is crawling back into the scene Ten Foot Pole's Subliminable Messages will fit perfectly in between it's peers like the Descendents and Bad Religion.

This has to be the worst Ten Foot Pole CD. I thought their last one Bad Mother Trucker was their best. Just listen to their first song on Subliminable Messages and tell me it's not pure crap. Leave political punk to Bad Religion and Rise Against.

Anonymous (June 22, 2004)

great skate-punk record! They are old enough to know how to play it! respect!

Anonymous (June 17, 2004)

Best TFP record that I've heard, great production

Anonymous (June 12, 2004)

I listened to Insider for the first time in quite a while and I think excluding Bad Religion that is the best cd Epitaph has ever put out.

I haven't heard Subliminable Messages yet I'm still waiting for it to arrive in the mail box.

One thing I've noticed about TFP is that on Insider they had their guitars make a sort of metallic/Strung Out style sound that they don't do on their other cd's. I don't know if this was by accident or what but I wonder why they don't use that sound on their others.

Anonymous (June 12, 2004)

what the hell are you doing dissing pulley's production? they have always had some of the best in punk, and have you HEARD matters? obviously not, (because i haven't heard a record produced that well since god knows when) unless you think it's bad production because you just undermine a smaller band's ability to make a living by downloading their songs as crappy mp3s and passing judgement on the songs based on the sound they have coming out of your windows 98 porn-infested pc's 1 bit speakers.

Anonymous (June 11, 2004)

when did the singer of Nerf Herder start singing for Ten Foot Pole???

Anonymous (June 11, 2004)

So-Cal skate punk is tops and we should have more of it. Any skate punk bands you fulla's know of? It's hard to find that shit in this country. post here email my ass redpezly@hotmail.com and I'll attempt to return the favour, alternatively sign me up to copius amounts of gay porn.

I wonder if they have another Insider left in 'em. Score's for that album

-bemused-

Anonymous (June 10, 2004)

I just don't get this shit anymore.........

Anonymous (June 10, 2004)

rachel corrie, awwwesome song... my fav tfp album after insider, and i got all cept swill, which i was too lazy to buy when they came around seling it...
good for them, they're still kickass tome

Anonymous (June 10, 2004)

this style died? what the hell go listening to bands like taking back sunday.. who take this style water it down and make it sound like shit..

Anonymous (June 10, 2004)

I like ryan green's production, but i'm sorry, ditching him was the best thing pulley ever did. Matters is far and away their best release.

Anonymous (June 10, 2004)

"this is getting boring, this style died 2-3 years ago"

You're a moron. Can't you just appreciate it for what it is?

Anonymous (June 9, 2004)

I drove to five different stores but I still couldn't find this thing yesterday. Finally had to order it online.

TFP deserves to be back on Epitaph.

Anonymous (June 9, 2004)

This is a true return to form
More pissed off than ever and some awesome tunes make this a must have disc for any skatepunk fans.
Dennis voice has never been so good
And the songs are so tight.
Awesome guys great album.

Anonymous (June 9, 2004)

The Marc - agree with you on that one, big man. That was a stanky album.

I'm actually glag Pulley broke out from Greene. All of the records he produces have the exact same sonic qualitites to them. You can tell right away if he produced it or not. It becomes overkill after awhile.

for some reason when i reviewed their last album i got hyper excited and gave it way too good of a score. this album is much better than bad mother trucker and a step in the right direction to regaining their sound from their better days.

If you had such the case of writers block, why did you waist my time? That was the worst fucking thing I have ever read. You just made not want to buy the album. Never review an album again or else no band would make money off album sales.

Anonymous (June 8, 2004)

Worst fuckin review ever. Why did you submit it if it was so shitty? Retard.